ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to shed light on the concept of health branding – a concept that is increasingly becoming important in the light of competing health choices among consumers and emerging socio-economic trends across the African continent. There are several approaches to the branding of healthcare experiences, based on various schools of thought governing the concept of health branding. Over the last decade, health branding has been construed as an image, a social process or a strategy, each with its implications for practice. In this chapter, the concept of healthcare branding is examined with a view to understanding the various theoretical lenses that drive contemporary healthcare branding practices. In addition, the theoretical lens of social constructionism is introduced and its implications for health marketing practice are discussed. Issues pertaining to the brand building process, the benefits of branding and its relevance to Sub-Saharan Africa are also discussed in the chapter.
